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Tuscan White Bean Soup

Tuscan white bean soup with golden broth, rosemary, and tender cannellini beans—thickened by mashing a portion of the beans. Finished with wilted kale, parmesan, and crisp pancetta for a hearty Italian main.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cannellini beans
  • 2 can (15 oz) cannellini beans Drained
  • Salt and pepper To taste
Pancetta
  • 4 oz pancetta or bacon Diced
Vegetables
  • 1 onion Diced
  • 2 stalks celery Diced
  • 1 kale Stems removed and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced
Tomatoes and broth
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 6 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Herbs and seasonings
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 parmesan rind (optional) Adds depth
Serving
  • 1 olive oil For serving
  • 1 parmesan shavings For serving
  • 1 crusty bread For serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Crisp pancetta
  1. Cook the pancetta in a large pot until crispy, then remove and set aside.
  2. Keep the rendered fat in the pot for sautéing the aromatics.
Build the soup base
  1. Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in the fat for 5 minutes, stirring until softened and fragrant.
  2. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, rosemary sprigs, parmesan rind (if using), and Italian seasoning, then bring the mixture to a boil.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Add the cannellini beans and simmer for 20 minutes, keeping a steady gentle bubble.
  2. Remove the rosemary sprigs and parmesan rind, then mash about a third of the beans in the pot to thicken the soup.
Wilt kale and finish
  1. Add the kale and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until wilted and tender.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle with olive oil and top with parmesan and the reserved pancetta.

Notes

For the thickest texture, mash the beans right after simmering; the starch helps the broth cling to the beans. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container and reheat gently on the stove; freezing is not recommended due to kale texture—if you want a lighter, vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and omit the pancetta.